Want a Hong Kong experience? Drink outside 7-Eleven and hire ‘celebrity’ tutors
Beyond its skyline and modernity, the city’s everyday aspects such as getting beers at ‘Club 7’, revering tutors and casual compliments make it a unique place to live in
From “Club 7” (7-Eleven convenience stores) to “celebrity” exam tutors, Hong Kong has plenty of things that make it special. It is this quirky mix of tangible and intangible aspects of everyday life that, when blended together, gives us a glimpse of the city’s social structure and cultural characteristics. Yupina Ng has identified a number of social phenomena that are uniquely Hong Kong.
1. Murphy’s Law: No available cabs are in sight between 3pm and 5pm every day
Taxis are especially hard to catch during this time of the day because it is when most drivers change their shifts. If you do see taxis on the street at that time, drivers will offer you a ride only if your destination is close to where they have to hand over their vehicles to the next driver.
2. Ambushed: Property agents selling new flats to passers-by outside MTR stations
A census report showed there were 23,833 people working in real estate brokerage and agencies in 2015, a jump of 8 per cent from 21,907 in 2014. Many of them try to persuade passers-by outside MTR stations to buy a new flat, or at least consider buying one by visiting a show flat nearby as many new residental projects are located near MTR stations.